Social marketing communications

Dr Stephen Dann

CRICOS No. 000213J

Queensland University of Technology

Introduction
To be able to evaluate the effectiveness of social marketing communications first you need to understand what element of the social marketing framework the communication is addressing plus what stage of the behaviour change process is being targeted Also of importance is the extent to which the communication clearly shows that the campaign has adopted a client rather than organisation centred approach

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Overview
Marketing and social marketing Behavioural change model Targeting communication strategies within the social marketing framework Common styles of message Freedom from Fear Case Study

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Definitions
1985 - Marketing: the process of planning and executing the conception, pricing, promotion and distribution of ideas, goods and services to create exchanges that satisfy individual and organisational needs. 2004 - Marketing: an organizational function and a set of processes for creating, communicating and delivering value to customers and for managing customer relationships in ways that benefit the organization and its stakeholders. (AMA 2004).

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Social Marketing
Social marketing: the adaptation of commercial marketing technologies to create programs designed to influence the voluntary behaviour of target audiences to improve their personal

welfare and that of the society of which they are

a part.

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Framework of managerial marketing

Client centred Research and evidence driven Aims to achieve mutually beneficial exchanges Adapts to external environments Implemented through the marketing mix

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Framework of social marketing

Social marketing uses and modifies managerial marketing Client focussed in the design of campaigns Social marketings bottom line is voluntary behavioural change Socially beneficial outcomes are subjective

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Some characteristics of social marketing

Level and extent of public scrutiny Extravagant expectations Targeted at non existent or negative demand Target unresponsive audiences Focus on sensitive issues Behaviours often have invisible, delayed or non guaranteed benefits

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Social marketing and behaviour change

CRICOS No. 000213J

Queensland University of Technology

Behaviour change model

Stage
Pre contemplation Characteristics Potential targets are unaware of issue

Contemplation
Preparation

Targets become aware of the issue and start to consider it in light of their lives
Targets determine what they need to know or do to change their behaviour

Action
Maintenance

Targets trial the alternate behaviour

Targets adopt the alternative behaviour long term as their normal behaviour

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Stages of behavioural change

Stage
Pre contemplation
Contemplation Preparation Action Maintenance

Marketing & Communication Tasks

Create awareness; change values and beliefs
Persuade and motivate Educate Facilitate action Reinforce changes, reminder communications

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Marketing mix
The marketing mix is the basic framework that marketers use to manage the marketing effort The marketing mix is sometimes called the 4 Ps and consists of the following elements
product, price, place, promotion

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Marketing mix: Product

The bundle of benefits that the organisation is offering to the public From a social marketing perspective what are you selling to the market? What aspect of the product needs to be communicated?

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Social product
Idea Belief Attitude Value

Social Product

Practice

One off Ongoing

Tangible object

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Family planning product

Pregnancy can be planned
Idea Smaller families are better Preventing pregnancy is morally acceptable Contraception Practice Sterilisation Reversible contraception Tangible object

Condoms Diaphrams

Contraceptive pill
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Communication implications
What aspect of the social product needs to be communicated? Are you trying to communicate a change in values, put forward an alternative lifestyle are you more focussed on portraying the relative benefits of one familiar activity over another?

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Marketing mix: Price

What someone gives up to own a product or use a service Price involves more than just money Social price - sum of all perceived costs that a person gives up to benefit from a campaign Costs include monetary costs for tangible goods and services plus time, effort, convenience, fear, loss of enjoyment, physical discomfort

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Communications implications
Social marketing communications often focus on making it easier to change a behaviour and thereby reduce the social price Example: Exercise
30 minutes a day in one session or 3 x 10 minutes walk up stairs or get off the bus a stop earlier etc

Social price barriers are related to competition

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Competition
Behaviours and associated benefits of the competing behaviour Behaviours that are habits Organisations and individuals that promote a counter behaviour

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Competition: Example
Behaviour objective: drink 8 glasses of water per day

Competing behaviour: drinking coffee

Competing messages/messengers: Coffee Club, Starbucks Social marketing message: have a glass of mineral water when meeting friends for coffee, have a glass of water with coffee, communicate negative effects of caffeine

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Place
Place refers to how your product gets from you to your client base Place can refer to retail outlets or service points

Main communication task with relation to place is informing targets about where they can get access to services and information

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Promotion
Promotion refers to all the different communication methods that you use to contact, inform or influence your target market Promotions mix
advertising publicity personal selling public relations sales promotions and any other communication method

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Common approaches to social marketing communication

Information based
assumes that targets do not know about the issue or are missing key facts focus is on educating the market

Emotion based
focus on positive or negative emotions assumes the targets know the facts but need motivation in starting or maintaining behaviour

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Negative emotion appeals

Fear and threat appeals are common in social marketing Effectiveness of the appeal will depend on the extent to which the target identifies with the issue and believes that it can happen to them Engendering fear or negative emotions without providing a solution negates the value of the stimulation of the fear appeal Other negative emotions are also used in this context including guilt, remorse, embarrassment Negative emotions are common in road safety advertising

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Freedom From Fear Case

Western Australia campaign against domestic violence

CRICOS No. 000213J

Queensland University of Technology

Approach
Most anti domestic violence campaigns focus on either law reform or educating police and the judiciary with respect to domestic violence issues Public campaigns tend to focus on the victims and getting them to leave the abusive environment or seek help Freedom from Fear targeted the male perpetrators of domestic violence

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Research: Getting the message right

Research objectives
Examine awareness, knowledge, attitudes, perceptions, and behaviours of men in general with respect to domestic violence Understand perpetrators beliefs and attitudes and hence assess whether reaching and impacting the primary target market was viable via mass media Assess the effectiveness of 5 potential message themes for a community education program: criminal sanctions, community interventions, social disapproval, consequences and help is available

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Reactions to potential messages

Criminal sanctions not seen as credible or a significant deterrent Community interventions idea of reporting incidences was seen as inconsistent with social norms (ie dobbing in a mate) Social disapproval favourable reaction with most Consequences damage to partner not an influencing factor for perpetrators, lacked credibility; damage to children powerful motivator Help is available endorsed by both men in general and perpetrators

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Campaign messages
Domestic violence adversely impacts on the lives of children Help is available Victims are not to blame Violence against partners is not acceptable Reinforces the link between the use of emotion to increase arousal and attention while offering a clear solution
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Communication media
Mens Helpline (staffed by male counsellors)

Self help materials and publications

Promotional material such as posters and beer mats distributed through sporting clubs, pubs, hotels, TABs, workplaces Television, radio, press and outdoor advertising

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Adverts

CRICOS No. 000213J

Queensland University of Technology

Summary
Social marketing is derived from managerial marketing and therefore uses commercial marketing tools and frameworks The ultimate aim of social marketing is to change behaviour Social marketing communications use traditional marketing communication methods and include the full range of marketing mix and promotional mix elements

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